It’s no secret that Kendal at Oberlin is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. It’s also no surprise, given the creative, talented and energetic men and women who call Kendal home, that the celebration is eclectic and extensive.

More than 25 years ago, future residents of Kendal at Oberlin planted the seeds for how the retirement community would operate. The community would be based on Quaker values and practices, and residents would have a strong voice in all aspects of communitylife — social, cultural, intellectual and governance.

For many of us, buying a starter house years ago meant taking a crash course in homebuying 101. Mortgage points? PMI? Title insurance? Closing costs? We had a lot to learn, but most of us passed the test and made a sound financial decision.

Ed and Anne Wardwell’s marriage began in 1970, and so did their affection for canoeing.

For years they explored the Cuyahoga River and other waterways near their home in Shaker Heights. Now residents of Kendal at Oberlin, the couple heads south to Findley State Park in Wellington or north to their favorite spot, Old Woman Creek in Huron.

Kendal residents Robert Taylor and Ted Nowick have been partners since 1975.

“As you can see, the LGBT community here at Kendal at Oberlin has grown significantly since 2003, when Ted and I moved here as the first openly gay residents,” Robert told a recent crowd of several hundred people who had gathered to hear personal stories from Kendal’s gay, lesbian and transgender residents.

Sheila Eckstein has sketched and painted her way through Oberlin and the Southwest states. Two very different landscapes for sure, but using watercolors and mixed media sketches she finds colors and patterns to illuminate their special features.